Some food photos

Chilled symphony of dragonffruit and mangoes frozen, partly thawed and then whizzed in the food processor. I added some softened dates for extra taste and nutrition. Cold Appetiser.

Defrosted some thick vegetarian dhall which I made the other day. I packed them into small plastic bags and thawed them in the morning.




Beef stew, kidney bean salad, just olive oil, lemon, onion, capsicum, salt and pepper. Anything you like and have in your fridge.



Mapo Tofu, one of our favourite dishes. We always ordered medium size Mapo whenever we ate at Muhibbah's. By far the best is found there. Other restaurants do not do it exactly the way we like it. I take the short cut these days by buying the mapo sauce paste from Lee Kum Kee or some other halal brand.

Just brown lots of garlic, add finely chopped or sliced beef or lamb. Stir well and add about 4 teaspoons or more of the hot sauce. Now add in a box of soft tofu, cut up. You can also add some chopped spring onions, some sliced ginger or a little cornflour or tapioca starch flour dissolved in some water for the gravy.The amount is up to us though it can be a little salty if we add too much.

Mealtime can be very quick and simple. We have toast when we have no time to cook rice. Really fast meal.

Shepard or Cottage pie, served separately but in same dish. I put long beans in the rice before cooking it. Trying to have a more nutritional meal. :)
Pine nuts blended roughly with fresh Italian basil leaves and olive oil, cheese. Very filling snack. Toast the pine nuts before using. If we do not have them, try walnuts or almonds with spinach.
A little feta cheese crumbled on top would be tasty.




Tasty Pumpkin Soup - we had to hide the large pot of soup. Sometimes it goes on the table to keep it really hot. The curry was from the shop as I had lunch there

Apple Crumble

Unfortunately we did not get to taste the apple crumble. Made it in a hurry for Doctor M whose son was preparing for his medical exam and was craving for apple crumble. See the greatness of a mother's love? She had to spend time tutoring him so she asked me to cook so that he could have both tution and pie. Masha Allah. No wonder her children are top scorers and pious kids.

Some random food photos from my kitchen

Just a small selection of food photos. What Malaysians like to have for their dinner :) or at least in my humble home, where cooking does not have to be a chore but an interesting and inviting prelude to a nice relaxing meal at the end of the day.

Eat early and stop eating before you are full

Been advised to have dinner before 7 pm so that the food can digest with our activities and not go to bed with a heavy load. Eat only 1/3 full, fill the other 1/3 with water and leave the other 1/3 of our stomach empty. Sounds like very great advice, after all it is the sunnah, the tradition of our beloved Prophet saw. (May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)

Soup saves the day

I try to make soup at least once or twice a week. Normally sufficient for 2 days so that I can just add some vegetables or meat to stretch the meal. I prefer to spend less time in the kitchen. We can be productive without being a slave to the kitchen. Just plan our meals and be adaptable. Use up the favourite leftovers and be creative.

Enjoy Family time at mealtimes

Try not to eat alone. We seldom enjoy our food even if we ate at the finest restaurant. There is so much barakah or blessings when we share our meals. Good to ask someone to our home to share our food. The problem is of course we need to have enough time to cook enough and also give people time to plan their schedule. Not everyone can drop their work and say yes to us.

Be thankful for our nourishment

Let mealtimes be a pleasure, a time to be with family and to get nourishment with thanks to our Creator. Be thankful for our food as our friends and neighbours in other parts of the world are starving and suffering. May Allah SWT protect us and forgive our weaknesses.

Finding time to cook in Ramadhan

These days I do not seem to have the mood to spend time in the kitchen. Some of the vegetables have to be thrown away periodically. Its such a shame!

Eat more vegetables!

I bought some beautiful fresh mushrooms the other day but I got ambitious so I also bought pumpkin, baby tomatoes. fruits, capsicum and cheese. Managed to make a quick pumpkin soup - low fat and vegetarian. Insha'Allah I will - I have to use up all my mushrooms before they turn yellow and dry.

Fresh Mushroom Soup and Buttered Mushroom with garlic - yummy and quick

Perhaps a clear mushroom soup if I am too tired or a creamy one if I have time. The balance will be stir fried in some butter or olive oil. Just a smashed pip of garlic or sliced onions. Some left over frozen french bread.

Tasty Salad

Easy to make a fresh capsicum, onion and tomato salad in apple vinegar and little olive oil and salt and pepper. use any crispy lettuce available - just tear it up. That's going to be really quick.

I discovered I did not have to add any honey if I used apple vinegar. It is sweet and just the right flavour. Maybe I will whizz up some hummus (blended garbanzo beans), tahina (sesame paste), fresh lemon juice and a spalsh of olive oil, pepper, garlic.

I did give an offer to have a cooking session before Ramadan but so far the timing may not be right. Suddenly there is a committee meeting on 23rd July so that means only 24 afternoon is available. Ipoh visit on 30th though I am not sure if I can make it.

Fancy Pumpkin Seafood Soup

I saw a cooking show from Taiwan in someone's house (no, I do not subscribe to Astro as it really takes up too much of time) that suggested the addition of fresh fish fillet, mussels, mushrooms and silken tofu to the pumpkin soup. The chef also made a roux (white sauce and added some cream), Looked interesting but a bit too rich and fancy for my simple taste buds.

Maybe for a fancy dinner and possibly just a small dish of soup each, not the larger helpings in the case of a more rustic and basic pumpkin soup.

Tonight's dinner

We had pumpkin soup tonight. With the fresh salad and steamed brown rice. I also served store bought prawn sambal petai and some fried tahu cooked in coconut milk. Dinner was unexpectedly pleasant and I threw in the extra cheese and baby tomatoes over the steaming rice. Cooked rice in 2 small shallow dishes in layered electric steamer.

Easy steamboat or hotpot

Actually its rather nice to cook a pot of chicken stock with some bones and drumsticks etc. Add a few tomyam cubes or paste or leave it plain and naturally sweet. If you add stock cubes there will be a lot of msg in it, whether we like it or not.

Just add your favourite vegetables, prawns, chicken and fish fillet. Fresh squid and mushrooms are great too. Throw in some lemon grass, limau purut leaves, chili padi, onions and galanggal or lengkuas for tomyam soup. This can be made more extravagant when you have special guests or just have it simple with some quality prawns, fishballs and yong tow foo.

So much time and preparation for a meal

Marketing, cleaning, preparation, cooking, cleaning, serving, clearing up, cleaning, storing etc etc. That's a lot of work for just one meal. But the satisfaction is definitely greater when we share a nice meal at home. Especially when our family sees their favourite foods on the table. Mothers know all about that, waking up and cooking for sahur - I really salute them.

Microwave - thing of the past

I was only adept at reheating food in the microwave. Can't do that anymore as I stopped using microwave many years ago for health reasons.

Super simple sahur

Good thing my son really likes cereal and fresh milk. Alhamdulillah! Even when he was primary school aged, he would set the alarm clock and prepared his favourite sahur. When I was really tired and sleepy I would only wake up for dates and water. So long I had sahur. following the sunnah.

Train children from young

Do not let our children demand or tell us what to do or what to cook, especially for sahur. If they requested very nicely, any mother would not be able to turn down their appeals. If kids simply expect to be served or must have freshly cooked meals for sahur, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

Why be slaves to unappreciative little people? You may end up doing that for the rest of your lives. Not a very exciting thought.

Less I eat, the less hungry I become

I find the more I eat for sahur, the faster I would become hungry. Maybe the gastri juices would be overworking and demanding for more food. A piece of toast or a egg or cereal is more practical for me.

Iftar is not for stuffing ourselves after fasting all day

Iftar should be moderate and best to avoid sweets too often. The temptation may be great especially if we attend a lot of iftar with friends. They really try to feed us too well. If people actually put on weight in Ramadhan, something is wrong somewhere!

Go easy on the extras

Better take some dates and drink and complete solat maghrib before commencing dinner. Sometimes I do eat my dinner right away. In a way it is good as I do not have time to eat too much and do not have time for any appetizers or dessert. Just a simple main meal and perhaps some light snack or morey after tarawih, eating with friends before we part.

Best of Ramadhan

The best part of Ramadhan is when we break our fast from not merely eating and drinking but abstaining from evil thoughts, bad deeds and poor etiquette. And a supercharge of energy and faith when we stand together in worship of Allah SWT. SubhanAllah!

When we lose someone we love

Why do people leave?

Good question. sometimes there is no answer. People leave when they change; when they cannot manage a relationship or when they themselves behaved so badly that they cannot repair the damage.

They do not know how to mend a broken heart, out of desperation they give up and run away. They leave behind people who love them. Sometimes there is no other way, for staying on would cause more sorrow later on.

Happiness and hardship are tests for us

Others may love, betray and turn away because their hearts are weak and filled with shaitan's whisperings. Many such experiences are simply tests for us. How do we react to such situations?

What do we do when someone leaves?

Do we face it with patience and determination to go into damage control? Do we try to pick up the pieces and try to mend the broken heart together? Or do some people just love us, break our hearts and leave us to carry on alone, leaving responsibilities and a trail of broken promises?

Have we ever hurt someone before?

Sometimes we were the ones who had broken someone's heart. If we try to remember our past, perhaps sometime in our life we had done the same thing , to someone we have long forgotten. Someone who deserved better treatment and respect from us.

Maybe we were too young to understand the impact of our careless action or we did not know what to do so we just block it out of our minds.

Different people react differently

There was once a girl who liked someone of a different race and religion during our schooldays. Her parents were very unhappy with this friendship. She told me he was a very nice person and he treated her very well.

One day she told me she had broken off with him. How did she do it? Being only 17, she had no idea about handling the matter with maturity. She was scared her heart would soften.

She told me she purposely treated him badly and threw his present into the garbage bin in his presence, just to make him angry with her. She did all sorts of terrible things to turn him away from her.

In actual fact she still liked him and she did it because of pressure from her parents. The poor guy must have hurt a lot and perhaps his self esteem destroyed at that moment.

Its ironic because some years later she went abroad to further studies, met someone just like him and decided to marry this person. I think the parents were not too pleased by that but she decided to follow her heart. Her parents soon warmed up with the arrival of grandchildren. Life is like that.

Accept what is fated and get on with life

Sometimes we are not fated to be with someone for too long. Its better to appreciate the good times and be thankful to Allah for the happy memories. Isn't that better than to keep thinking of the grief and 'loss'? Everything will just be focused on negative energy and that would really drain us thoroughly. Surely we have better things to do that to live in the past. Wake Up!

The clock will keep ticking

People come and people go for various reasons. Sometimes its very hard to accept that though we try to understand. Many times it may not have anything to do with us personally but the other party had changed and we cannot turn back the clock.

Put our trust in Allah

The pure for the pure and the impure for the impure. Allah SWT wants to protect us and help us to stay on the straight path. Some things we feel is bad for is actually the best. We cannot see it at the very moment and this is when we have to learn to put our trust in Allah. Very often we still cling on to things and to people who are no longer good for us. Allah knows best.

Sometimes toxic relationships need a good shake up. If it still doesn't work, it may be time to move on. Nobody belongs to us and we belong to no one. Only Allah SWT has that right over us.

Know our priorities

What matters most is we remain faithful to Allah and He is always close to those who make effort to be close to Him. He always gives us a fair deal but we sometimes prefer to grief over what does not belong to us and had never belonged to us.

We grieve even though some people revealed their actual true and evil colours. Why do we even want them back if they cannot even behave as a true Muslim? We can be forgiving but we must know when to reject such disrespect. Surely we deserve better than that. Learn to love and respect ourselves.

Yet we do not grief when we or our children do not follow the sunnah or fulfil our solat, fasting and zakat. On the last day we will shall be alone and to Him we will return. Nothing else would matter.

Keep the right perspective

Lets keep the right perspective and strive to be steadfast in the face of adversity. These days I remind myself that we own nothing in reality and we will take nothing with us when we leave this worldly life.


Remember the purpose of our life -to worship and serve Allah,
not dwell on things we that we never actually had


We pray for the good of this world and good of the hereafter. Yet we must try to live this life as a traveller and keep our focus on our final destination. That way we can strive to serve Allah SWT well to make ourselves worthy of all the beautiful rewards of paradise.

Missing My Parents

Will you miss your parents
when they are gone?

What? You miss your parents? You are not a child anymore - why are you such a baby?

These words may seem common - they may be spoken in earnest, questioning the independance of an individual. Maybe it's a gentle hint for us to grow up and not be so sentimental.

Or are people getting so used to being alone and withdrawn that they have forgotten the warmth and comfort of family life? Was home so unhappy and dull that they want to forget their families?

Which is which?

Do we all still have childhood memories? Happy ones? Sad ones? Only you will know.

Forgive and Let Go of the Past

I guess most of us have a mixture of both, and maybe a bitter sweet relationship with our parents. That's life. We make mistakes all the time, even parents and we will do too as parents ourselves. Live and let live - its alright to still remember old wounds but its better to learn from them. Forgive, maybe we still cannot forget though we sometimes rather prefer to block out every hurt and disappointment of the past.

Jazakallahu Khairan Kathiran

I thank all my friends and even people I do not know well. They showed love, support and concern for me and my family during my difficult times. I received nothing but kind words and even monetary support to pay for the expenses of hospitalization etc. They did not have to do that but they all came even at last minute notice.

Those I could not inform on time apologised for not being there for me. I did not expect anyone to go out of their way for me. I am thankful for the duaas they make for my parents.

Solat Jenazah according to the Sunnah

Many people turned up for solat jenazah of both my parents. It really touched me deeply and words cannot express my appreciation and I thank Allah SWT for giving me help and support in my moments of need. Alhamdulillah!


Losing both parents within a year

I lost my mother during Chinese New Year in 2010. Its was a bitter experience for all of us. Last month I lost my 86 year old father. I was preparing my self for this moment but it still hit me badly, making me remember I cannot be strong and tough all the time.

They were good parents and did what they could, according to their own understanding of their roles and limitations. I appreciate their sacrifices and love which were unconditional. How many people can treat you that way? At least they will not be able to say they would be willing to support and love us for life! Not husbands, wives or lovers!

Work and Obligations

I have to leave my PC to do some work outside my home. Actually I'd rather be sitting in front of my keyboard, spilling out my thoughts, spontaneously as it does lighten the burden of carrying so much grief within.

I was quite busy with work and immersed myself so I would have a quicker recovery time. Just could not write when my thoughts are so scattered, a million things to attend to.

Taking a break

Took a short trip to Singapore with my son just to take a break. I needed a different environment and different people around me to bring me back. Singapore is great where transport is concerned.

Lots of Halal Food

Discovered great halal food in Muslim areas and even in food courts. I enjoyed the fish noodle soup and soto. Good service and the prices are reasonable too. Thanks to my friend Latifah who was an energetic companion. We stayed at Marine Parade and my 'sister' Sally and her husband Kim took us for a lovely dinner at Arab Street. We also went for night sight seeing like real tourists! Actually all the worldly sights do not mean much for a passing traveller of this earthly planet. Just passing through... trying to find the right path.

Aunt Leslie

My last trip to Singapore was over 20 years ago! Miss my aunties and cousins though. I planned to visit my Aunt Leslie but have misplaced her phone no. I feel so bad - been procrastinating to inform her that both my parents have passed awayl

She would be heart broken but worse still - will I be too late! She is a cancer survivor, a beautiful lady, well in her late 60s by now. A great cook and mother, who raised her 3 children on her own and sent them through university when my dear uncle passed away suddenly. I only have great memories of my uncle Bobby and aunt Leslie.

Giving Up Preloved Clothes and Belongings

Give More, Get More

Sometimes we can be so very sentimental! I do try to clear my belongings occasionally whenever I have some new additions to my wardrobe. One of my teachers once told us if we had not worn certain clothings for 2 whole years, it means we did not really miss or need them. As such, it is better to give them away to our friends. Surely that is better than hoarding them for years!

I do believe we will always get more rezeki from The Almighty if we are willing to give more. Give with an open heart and give frequently.

Nice to see our belongings
are of benefit to others

Its nice to see others enjoying clothes that we used to love. We have to give clothes that still look new and in good condition - not too tatty and grubby. Sometimes we are reluctant to give our really beloved clothes and belongings to people who obviously need a helping hand.

Not everyone wants hand outs

We presume they would really like to have some nice stuff in their wardrobe but lets face reality. Some of them they do not care very much for our beloved clothes and they use them as rags! Or they are so sick of people giving them their used clothes. That's a bit sad - that's why sometimes we just bundle them up, close our eyes and tip the whole lot into a charity box. Less painful. Or am I being unrealistic as it already belongs to them now

Retro Aunt

My aunt had a great wardrobe of beautiful clothes and she had so much lovely costume jewellery to match her outfits. She never put on weight and could still wear all her clothes and they looked fresh and new - but outdated! Now its retro!

Losing both my uncle and aunt within a few months

When she passed away suddenly, I do not know what happened to all her belongings. Relatives on her side simply took over and I did felt left out. Maybe they did not want to trouble me and maybe its because we seldom met through the years. I did feel a bit sad as they took everything that belonged to my family.

Many things belonged to my uncle but he had passed away a few months earlier, both having succumbed to cancer. I do not want to be too attached to worldly belongings. But I still remember their really great wooden retro curved sofa set, her antique furniture and lots of clothes and belonging that my aunt 'borrowed' from my grandparents's family home. Just things I grew up with - sentmental me.

I overheard one of her nephews mention that they would send the unwanted stuff to the Salvation Army. I was sad, we were not offered a single momento and that was the last time I saw them.

All the beautiful things that my aunt carefully and lovingly kept spick and span, decorated lovingly - everything disappeared overnight!

Worldly things mean nothing when we go

Just a strong and stark reminder that everything means nothing when we leave this worldly life. All we can bring with us would be our amal (good deeds) and our amal jariah (continuous good deeds that remain).

Nothing matters anymore when we go.

What matters is where we would end up. May Allah SWT have mercy on us all.

Ties of Kinship

Yesterday we decided to drive all the way to Taman Murni, on the way to Kajang. Its like going to he other side of the world, so to speak. It does seem far if we do not use that route often. As usual we rushed off without any breakfast so we decided to stop at a row of small stalls to check the place out.

Cheap and Tasty Fare

Alhamdulillah! This stall right in front where we stopped was bursting all over with every kind of delicious looking food. My brother went straight for the Malay friend bihun (rice vermicelli)fried with some chili and I took a banana leaf wrapped nasi lemak (fragrant coconut cream rice with some friend peanuts, cucumber and a sweet and slightly hot chili sambal. Could not resist the hot crispy flour and veggie fritters so we had that too. Iced coffee as went down really well - have to admit that it was not a very healthy breakfast but there was not not much choice (excuses excuses).

Actually I also bought some lontong (pressed rice and vegetables in coconut gravy) for my dad (his favourite food lately) and my brother tried a fried otak otak popia and I also tried some beef bihun soup laced with hot chili padi sauce. This is already brunch, not breakfast.

Visiting Ah Kum

She is my late mother's best friend and sister in law. They were each other's confidantes when we were just little children. She is now 82 and we visit her every few months (should be more frequent) but we really need a few hours just to get there and back.

Maintaining Ties of Kinship

We go there to maintain ties of kinship and to continue the warm relationship my mother had with her. Ah Kum is a very cheery and positive person, full of kindness and though she did not have much money (uncle was sick for a long time and she had to raise the kids herself) she is a very rich and warm person. All her poor relatives from villages would use her house as stopover and she had to find money to buy food to feed them. She could never refuse anyone of them.

She used to tell my mom "I may not have money to help the needy but I use my time, skills and energy to contribute". I feel sad she is not Muslim yet. Sometimes the behaviour and attitude of such people are much better than those who claim to be Muslim. Allah knows best.

This lady has self dignity and never announced her need for help. She would share her problems and joys with mother and be there for each other.

Dignity in Poverty

Yesterday we had a long conversation. Reminiscing old times. She remembered my mom and shared this with me, about her poverty and how she felt sometimes :

"One day your mother asked me to visit her as she needed my assistance. I had to walk from Kampung Baru all the way to Bukit Bintang where she stayed. I was too shy to tell her I needed money to travel there. Walked with my eldest child in my hand, just kept walking until we reached there. Do you know how far it is from my house?" Yes it is really far.

"My daughter was really tired and kept asking me to travel in a trishaw (rickshaw with a bicycle at the side). I told her I could not as I had only 5 cents in my purse. I figure that may mean around 5 dollars (ringgit) these days. I told my May that we could not afford that ride."

"Just then a plan flew overhead. May then said why don't we ride in that plane if we cannot ride in the trishaw? I felt so sad and overwhelmed that tears just poured out from my heart. "

Those were her exact words.

Tears Just Poured Out from my Heart

I am touched by her phrase that tears come from heart and not from the eyes. People with all the comforts of this worldly life will not know the pain and suffering of the needy. Yes my Ah Kum was dignified even in poverty. She kept repeating that only my mother shared her food and clothing with her. Others just took everything for granted.

She said an aunt was even angry with her for accepting my mother's help. I never knew that - how can people be so mean. If they think its wrong then they should make effort to help instead of criticizing.

So Hard to Break the News

Now my mother has passed on I do try to maintain ties of silatul rahim with her friends and there is another favourite aunt in Singapore who has to be informed of my mother's passing I dread calling her as she would be very sad to hear this. When I finally called Ah Kum, about 2 months after my mother passed away, she burst out crying over the phone. She kept asking why I did not tell her my mother was seriously ill.

How can I tell her?

How can I tell her that? She herself is already elderly and would need her family to take her to the hospital. If they had no time she would be even more upset. She would have to walk a great distance to reach the ward. And they do not lend their wheelchairs to anyone other than patients. I did not want to trouble or alarm her.

Its Taqdir - Allah is Most Merciful
to take her away from worldly suffering

I had been rushing to the hospital daily and then the hospital transferred her to another place, which turned out to be a disaster. She had a stroke there and they did not even realise it. Its such a shame. I accept its taqdir (fated) but it tells us about the quality of service and attitude towards patients, especially the elderly.

I never expected my mother to go just like that, hardly 3 weeks after her heart treatment. I know we can go anytime but we always have hope....

Are the Elderly worth less than the Young?
What gives them the right to judge?

Are the elderly not worthy of better care and treatment? All the old folks have a rich history and had many achievements which may be forgotten through the years. They raised their families and made many sacrifices. Some were heroes and heroines in their own way. Now people just call them old people. They do not have much time or respect for the frail and aged. Do not forget that one day, we will be considered as plain old people too.

Did Anyone Really Listen?

Everything seemed fine and organised at the hospital but being a training hospital, every doctor who wanted to speak to me did not have any idea at all about their new patient. They asked the same old questions and were not really listening to me about her special needs. Even after I had written a lengthy report to explain her particular condition and background. Wonder if anyone read it at all.

Do People Go to Hospitals to Live or to Die?

Just hope they do not continue to treat others in this way. I accept what has happened but do not deprive others a fair chance of surviving though the date of our departure in this world is predetermined by Allah SWT. People do not go to hospital to die - they go because they want to live. At least let them live well until its time to go. That's all I ask.

Counting my blessings

Alhamdulillah my son is not interested in branded goods and fancy gadgets. Many designer goods are indeed of good design and quality but a little above our average budget, even if its tax free. The sole distributor may end up making more profit after the sales tax is abolished. Anyway, that's why we are in business!

Not Fussy so long clothes are comfortable

He wears anything given to him, from designer clothes, hand me downs, from bargain bins to Rm5 ones from a charity sale. Sure, he enjoys upgrading his computer and laptop, who doesn't? But I do not have to keep on buying him expensive designer shirts and bags, shoes and accessories like some parents I know. I buy them for myself as I work hard so if the price is right, I may think about it.... We only generally indulge in activities like good company, buying books and eating well. Not exactly healthy to eat out though we like it too, but I do try to cook wholesome meals whenever I have time.

Sacrificing our own Needs

Today I'm expecting delivery of some furniture and do hope they will fit well into his room. Fell in love with some rustic wooden items in a shop. Actually I should be using the cash to purchase the bookcases I need.

Son is really quite an independent person. He seldom ever requests for extravagant personal items and makes do with whatever is available. In fact I'm really thankful he is not like some pretentious kid who wants exactly what his peers have. Alhamdulillah (all praise to Allah) he is not a follower.

Acknowledging and Appreciating our Children

So, for all his good deeds and patience, I want to thank him and surprise him by upgrading his room - long overdue as he is already 21.

Make Duaa for your Family all the time

Im not asking for an A student or a perfect son. I make duaa (supplications) to Allah SWT to give me a son who is soleh (pious). We have to keep asking if we need Allah's help. "Ya Allah, please keep our faith (iman) strong and let us live as a Muslims and die as Muslims".Ameen.

Happy ChildhoodTeaTime Memories

Waiting for the cake timer to ring. The buttercakes are almost done now. I generally know when its almost ready - buttery and vanilla fragrance is wafting right into the living room. Mmmmm.... feels so good because it brings back the memories of childhood. Mom would be baking and we would be eagerly anticipating a delicious tea spread. It wasn't everyday that we would get to have pancakes, waffles and cupcakes. Sometimes its just some hot Milo and cream crackers or some butter cookies.

Mom's Cooking is Best!

Children always think mom's cooking is the best ever! Do you agree with that? I do, as none of us can ever cook as well as she did. If you have a favourite dish, do not take it for granted that you will eventually learn how to do it someday. And its a great way to introduce mom to the younger generation who may find it hard to imagine grandma.

Honour our Parents and the Elderly

Honour our parents and the elderly while they are still with us. Do not have regrets that you couldn't find time to be with them. They made time for us for many many years, from birth to adulthood. What do you mean when you say you do not have time to visit or attend to their needs? We usually find time to have coffee and maybe even take a short holiday with friends. Make time for people you love and who will always love you in return.

Missing Mother

Though appreciated during her lifetime, no one will know how much he or she will miss mother until its too late. Memories of all her goodness live on but there will be a part of us that's missing.

The Passing of a Courageous Woman

Three months ago my own mother departed after an intense struggle of 3 weeks in the hospital. When we are ill we can only do what we can to get well - see the doctor, look for alternative medicine, exercise, change our diet etc. Always remember the power of prayer and supplication.

Allah Knows Best

The day we leave this worldly life has already been predetermined by Allah SWT. We don't know when but we have to try our best to take care of ourselves. After all the effort we leave everything in the hands of Allah SWT. He knows best.

Willed Herself to Walk Again

She had stroke a few years ago and had been ill with all sorts of pain, diabetes and high blood pressure. She was half paralysed but willed herself to walk again. She refused to lie down and disliked being dependant.

Productive at Any Age

She would cook for the family even though she did not have to. And even help do the dishes and sold her own baked cookies to raise money for charity and gifts.

Talented and Generous

Mother was a creative cook and loved drawing, sewing and embroidery. Her drawings hang in the homes of some special people and many enjoy her cross stitch bags and purses. I'm proud to have a mom like her and I miss her so very much.

How Good is Our Relationship?

We may have a good relationship with our parents but there will always be so many unspoken words - of saying sorry, of telling them how much they mean to us.

Remember the many years where they took care of us and sacrificed their wealth, rest and their own comfort to raise and guide us.

Mother's Day and Father's Day

King and Queen for a Day - once a year. Does that make sense?

Don't you agree that Mother's Day and Father's Day should be everyday? Why wait for the next year to tell her how special they are to us and how much we love them.


Suggestion:

Pick up the phone and call home.